ADAMS TWP — Over the last two seasons, the Mars boys soccer team set the bar pretty high for future players.

The program was a consistent playoff contender entering the 2007 campaign, qualifying for postseason play five straight seasons (2002-2006).

But a run to the PIAA Class AA title game last season and a WPIAL championship earlier this month have put the program at a higher level.

"It feels great to have set ourselves apart the last couple of seasons," said senior midfielder Andy Knauff, who began starting during his sophomore season. "Hopefully, it can continue and Mars can remain an elite program."

The Planets lost one starter to graduation from last year's 21-4-1 squad in Drew Glavin.

"I didn't want to set our goals too high this year and lose focus on the games that were in front of us," said Mars coach Chris Knauff. "But I did tell the team that we had the talent to win the WPIAL and states."

The Planets did suffer two season-ending injuries to key players just a few games into their 2008 campaign when senior forward Tim Frigot and senior defender Branden Miller went down.

"We all had our role to play and that became an even bigger issue with those two injuries," said senior goalkeeper Joe Haefner. "Everybody did their part."

"Tim was our second-leading scorer from last year, and Brendan was a starter, too," said Coach Knauff. It took a good bit of time until we got things shuffled around after that. We ended up moving Mike Page from center midfield to forward and he played well."

Mars benefitted from playing in what arguably was the toughest section in WPIAL Class AA.

The Planets (18-3-2) went a combined 1-2-1 in four games against eventual Section 2 champion Knoch (15-3-1) and Freeport (15-4-1).

The section proved to be the only one in WPIAL Class AA to feature three teams with at least 15 wins.

"Playing in a tough section prepares you for how tough teams are going to be in the playoffs," Andy Knauff said. "In the playoffs, every team is tough."

Just as impressive as the Planets' overall record of 39-7-3 the last two seasons was their mark of 11-3 in WPIAL and PIAA playoff contests in that span.

After losing to Center in the WPIAL semifinals in 2007, Mars kept its season alive by beating South Park in the WPIAL consolation game.

The team then downed North East, Center and Susquehannock in the state playoffs before being defeated by Palmyra in the state title game.

The 2008 WPIAL playoffs brought wins over Hopewell, Freeport, South Park and Thomas Jefferson by a combined scored of 11-4.

"That was the first WPIAL title in Mars (boys soccer) history," said senior midfielder Scott Sowers. "That's what stands out for me."

Mars seemed primed for another run to Hershey, but after a PIAA first-round win over Grove City, the Planets lost to a familiar foe in Susquehannock 2-1 in overtime Nov. 8.

Susquehannock won the state title Saturday.

Though each of the last two seasons ended with a defeat, the Planets know they accomplished a lot and have much to be proud of.

"What I'll remember most is the (WPIAL) title win," said Haefner. "The last two years, we've gotten so far and won so many games, it's hard to remember the games we lost."

"We never went into a game thinking, 'We'll be lucky to hang with this team,'" said Coach Knauff. "You have to be confident and our kids were."